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The Energy Blog is where all topics relating to The Energy Revolution are presented. Increasingly, expensive oil, coal and global warming are causing an energy revolution by requiring fossil fuels to be supplemented by alternative energy sources and by requiring changes in lifestyle. Please contact me with your comments and questions. Further Information about me can be found HERE.

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June 14, 2007

FutureGen Engineering and Construction Management Firm Selected

The FutureGen Alliance has selectedWashington Group International (NYSE: WNG) to provide architectural, design, and engineering support services for the FutureGen initiative. The $1 billion project is an approximate 275-megawatt Integrated (coal) Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant that will will generate hydrogen to produce electricity while capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, deep underground.

The project includes development of a large-scale engineering laboratory and research platform for evaluating and testing new technologies for the conversion of coal to fuel gases, for the capture of carbon dioxide, and for the clean production of power.

The initial technology selection, design, and engineering work is scheduled for completion in March 2008.

As the engineering and construction management provider, Washington Group International will assist the Alliance in the evaluation and selection of technologies for coal gasification and for gas and power generation, as well as integrate the selected technologies and packages for the processes across the facility.

The FutureGen Initial Conceptual Design Report, May 2007, describes the project’s objectives and the conceptual design for the entire FutureGen project, including the technical activities that will lead to design, construction and operation of the plant, and the management approaches that will direct and fund those technical activities.

Site selection has been narrowed down to two sites in Illlinois and two in Texas with final site selection scheduled for late 2007.

IGCC also does nothing about CO2 emissions. They're using language like "has the potential to capture carbon" Carbon capture costs somewhere between $20 and $70 per ton to "capture" and will raise the production cost of electricity by maybe 50%. Does anyone think they are actually going to capture it? This is a giveaway to the coal lobby. Also the cost for the plant is given as $3600 per KW...more than what it would cost to install molten carbonate fuel cells today and 5 times what SOFCs will cost in three years.

Everyone expects the gasifier will be oxygen blown, but the final decision will be made under the WNG contract.

Cost figures for this plant are not meaningful because the engineering and testing are much higher than usual and are included in the projet cost and the plant is too small to be economically justified.
A large test facility working on slipstream flows will be built as part of the roject. Testing will take place until 2017.

This plant will include CCR and most people believe that all commercial plants built after this has been demonstrated expect that CCR will be required by law. There has already been legislation introduced requiring CCR after some date.

Jim
Are you suggesting that IGCC will be able to deliver energy at comparable costs and with comparable carbon burdens as SOFCs? And at anywhere close to the same time frame?

As for the propsed legislation one needs to look at who is proposing it and what their real agenda is. I'm saying it is diversionary..a smoke screen that maybe will never really be carried out given the added production costs involved.

Had a chance to see a strip mining operation removing mountains in north central Colorado. Even with binoculars, the huge machinery was tiny up against those mountains. Anyone who is worried about the US running out of mountains should get out the city. What you will observe is that the environmental impact is very small compared with the ugliness of the cities that demand huge amounts of electricity.

It is truly amazing to see the effort put forth by a country in need. in these trying times the best thing possible is to keep moving forward and to keep building and progressing to a better tommorrow. Construction is the cornner stone of our foundation that makes this country what it is.

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The U.S. Energy Dept. says it will build a flagship clean-coal powerplant in Illinois, reversing a previous Bush administration move to scrap the ambitious FutureGen project in favor of smaller carbon-capture and -storage projects (CCS) around the U.S.

I have close to 5 years of experience doing construction management. I am working on a good project but dont feel satisfied with my work. I know I am capable of doing a lot more but do not feel challanged anymore or do not feel enthusiastic about coming to work. It seems boring and monotonus. How can I enhance my skills so I can may be change fields and go in to general project management. I want to do something creative, something that makes me feel like going to work everyday. Thanks in advance for your advice.

I agree with Jim, cost figures for this plant are not meaningful because the engineering and testing are much higher than usual and are included in the project cost and the plant is too small to be economically justified.

Excellent project management for construction work is crucial for any new building or renovation. Construction project software is excellent for increasing productivity and giving more effort towards increasing customer satisfaction.